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Without being too pedantic is there not one solitary headspan in place (presumably a later addition) located just north of Harrow and Wealdstone?

 

EDIT - You can just about see it here - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5937102,-0.3389642,3a,38.1y,85.66h,90.39t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5z2QjXbNC4SbX3AbJ8TbfA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Yes, it was erected after a LUL train ran through the stops and took out the OHL posts. When, I've no idea I'm afraid.

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Just been reading the GWR Help Twitter feed which features a glossy video about their rolling stock upgrade programme. In the comments below GWR Help give some answers to customers. I was interested to read that electric trains will operate from Reading to Basingstoke from December 2018. Also, when a customer asks when they will be able to sit in a new train all the way to Oxford, the answer is that GWR are looking to upgrade Oxford to Paddington services by May this year, whatever that means.

 

None of that aligns with the current plan so the information there is either out of date or those responsible for GWR Help have no idea what's really going on. 

 

Reading to Basingstoke has been deferred and will not be ready by December 2018.  The only new trains capable of reaching Oxford are the bi-modes and the provisional plan is that the first of these will enter service in the Autumn.

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Having travelled up to London yesterday via the Berks and Hants line it was evident how intermittent progress has been (between Newbury and Reading), to the extent that it didn't look massively different to a year ago. 

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Meanwhile, in Cardiff, one of the pavements on the new Beresford Road Bridge is in use and the temporary footbridge has been closed to the public.  Good views for photography from the road are now available down line on the Roath approach ramp over the brick wall, and views upline towards Pengam look to be opening up as well.  The new bridge has the hight side walls of the other new bridges in Cardiff and one cannot see the railway from it.

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A little update on the state of play in Wiltshire, after I had a drive around yesterday.

 

Badminton Line

Brinkworth - masts for a distance either side of the former station, but not all in position. Temporary yard in field next to bridge in Brinkworth village, containing piles.

Little Somerford - small area of masts (again not complete) east of former station. View west not possible.

 

Main Line

Area of masts each side of former Christian Malford halt - again not complete

Odd masts as far Down as just west of River Avon bridge

 

The light was fading rapidly by the time I got there, so I may have missed some which would otherwise have been visible in the distance across the fields. 

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Next Sunday could be interesting, talk of the wiring to Maidenhead being energised and 387s doing test runs between Reading and Didcot - can anyone confirm?

The Flash notice advising Airport Jn - Maidenhead will be energised on the 5th Feb are out:

 

post-6818-0-36419100-1485785715.jpg 

 

The 387s will be out 'at some stage'

 

 

Edit: to add Flash Notice

Edited by Banger Blue
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Next Sunday could be interesting, talk of the wiring to Maidenhead being energised and 387s doing test runs between Reading and Didcot - can anyone confirm?

 

 

A few paths in the system for testing overnight on 5th February;

 

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/DID/2017/02/05/0001-0800?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

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More HST rubbernecking today, things are coming along on the Swindon Didcot stretch, apart from that gap through Steventon. Most of masts are up, with the usual odd missing ones and gaps, on the downside nearly to South Marston. There are appreciably less on the upside west of Uffington. A good deal have all the accompanying fitments (dangly bits) added. One noteworthy item is that there's stretches of overhead catenary and contact appearing, one length on the down east of Wantage Road, stretches east and west of Challow on the up line. There were three four car 387 sets coupled together parked outside the shed at Reading this afternoon.

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Looks as though the GWML isn't the only electrification project hitting problems.

 

Further to the below links quite a lot of recent comments on the London Reconnections thread.

 

Gospel Oak to Barking line reopens on 27 February but more disruption is on the cards after work wasn't completed on ...

City A.M. - ‎Feb 7, 2017‎

Good news: the London Overground line between Gospel Oak and Barking will reopen to passengers on Monday 27 February. Bad news: despite a phased eight-month closure, the work hasn't been finished on time and more needs to be done. Work began ...

 

Gospel Oak to Barking Overground set to reopen on February 27 – but bosses admit work won't be finished by then

Islington Gazette - ‎Feb 7, 2017‎

Network Rail, which has been working on the Gospel Oak to Barking line so two-car diesel trains can be replaced by more modern four-car electric ones, said it would allow passengers to travel on the line from February 27. But electrification work is ...

 

Design error delays Gospel Oak to Barking line electrification

Global Rail News - ‎Feb 7, 2017‎

Electrification of the Gospel Oak to Barking London Overground line has been delayed because of “incorrectly designed” overhead line equipment. Although the line will reopen as planned at the end of this month, Network Rail has said further closures ...

 

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More likely expecting the usual derogations on a pre-planned design, which extraordinarily (as discussed before) never came.

 

The BBC report stated NR would be 'carrying out the necessary work to get the electrification completed in time for the electric trains which are due to arrive in 2018'.  Of course the work might well be paperwork but understanding that would seem to be either beyond the BBC or it was implied to them by the Press Officer or whoever that physical work on site was needed.

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Having some inside knowledge of the GOBE scheme in a recent former life - there was some significant track-lowering to fit the OLE and it was proving very challenging due to some major under-track sewer and water pipes that can't be moved. One site even now has no sleepers in the conventional sense and "Cornish mine" stiffening rails attached either side of the running rails. It was likely that some potential TSI derogations looming ............ I can only imagine this is the case and this is delaying things.

 

Me - I'm back playing with proper electrification (3rd rail) on Britains' largest roller-coaster ....................... :yahoo:

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I was once involved with a job to lower the track under a bridge at Highbury to give clearance for OHL. There were problems there with buried sewers and two retaining walls held apart by huge timbers buried under the track due to bomb damage. So the track ended up with a short dip under the bridge, which was fine the for low speed use that line had. At least until the line was transferred to another region, the new PW supervisor took one look at this dip and promptly sent a gang in to lift it out. 

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Meanwhile, in South Wales (where a nation mourns after the afternoon's rugby), Cardiff's Beresford Road bridge now has pavements on both sides and a road surface, and looks to be progressing nicely, on time, and, as far as I know, in budget...

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Meanwhile, in South Wales (where a nation mourns after the afternoon's rugby), Cardiff's Beresford Road bridge now has pavements on both sides and a road surface, and looks to be progressing nicely, on time, and, as far as I know, in budget...

 

So it's not all bad then? If I was being objective, I would say you woz robbed - but I am not objective and must say that Eddie Jones played an incredibly tactical game which ensured that the England team made the most of your mistakes....er, no, er,...wait a minute. I'll get back to you...in a while.

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No, England won fair and square and there was no robbery to console ourselves with, they were just better where it mattered in the second half and we gifted them the final try.  Never mind, there's always next year...

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No, England won fair and square and there was no robbery to console ourselves with, they were just better where it mattered in the second half and we gifted them the final try.  Never mind, there's always next year...

 

Magnanimous, I have to say. Well played!

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